NEW SEASONAL PALE ALE IS THE KEY TO SUMMER REFRESHMENT

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (April 14, 2016) – If life is a beach, new Siesta Key Citrus Pale Ale from Stevens Point Brewery is the right beer for relaxing on the sand.

Point Siesta Key Citrus Pale Ale is an American-style pale ale available from April through August wherever Point’s handcrafted beers are sold. Packing a burst of grapefruit tartness for smooth, tropical refreshment, Siesta Key is brewed with Vic Secret hops, a new variety from Down Under, and fresh grapefruit juice from Florida. The new brew is packaged in six-packs and 12-packs of Point’s new-style 12-ounce bottles, on draft, and in can packages perfect for the beach, boat or pool: 12-packs of 12-ounce cans and four-packs of 16-ounce cans.

Pale ales continue to be one of the fastest-growing craft-beer segments, according to Julie Birrenkott, Point Brewery Marketing Manager, who noted that Siesta Key’s modest alcohol content of 4.2% ABV make it a satisfying session beer for summer socializing

“It only makes sense to offer what craft-beer fans are looking for, and with summer coming, we are excited to introduce a refreshingly different and highly sessionable pale ale like Siesta Key Citrus Pale Ale,” she said. “It’s the right beer at the right time.”

Unlocking the secret of Siesta Key

Siesta Key Citrus Pale Ale is Stevens Point Brewery’s first seasonal pale ale and the first Point beer to use Vic Secret hops, an aroma and flavoring variety developed in Australia’s Victoria state specifically for brewing pale ales. Growing in popularity among craft beers for the past several years, Vic Secret hops remain in limited supply in the United States, according to Point Brewmaster Gabe Hopkins.

“Vic Secret hops impart a very perfumy aroma to the ale along with nice fruity citrus flavor components,” Hopkins said. “They are the perfect hops to pair with fresh Florida grapefruit juice to brew our new pale ale.”

To optimize Siesta Key’s fresh hoppy aroma, Point’s brewers dry hop the ale twice during the brewing process with generous amounts of Vic Secret hops, once on the fourth day of fermentation and again during cold storage before packaging.

The Stevens Point Brewery

Stevens Point Brewery, founded in 1857, uses only the highest-grade barley malts, specialty malts, grains and the choicest hops to brew its handcrafted beers.

The brewery’s seasonal beers include Point Apricadabra Apricot Wheat Ale for the spring; Point Coast Radler, a mix of beer and natural citrus flavors for the summer; New Siesta Key Citrus Pale Ale, also for summer; Point Oktoberfest, a Bavarian-style Märzen beer; and Point St. Benedict’s Winter Ale, a rich, dark beer available from November through February.

In addition to the year-round and seasonal craft brands Point offers four seasonal variety 12-packs, each containing three bottles of four unique beers available only in the variety packs. Available in the summer months, the Long Days variety pack features four refreshing fruit lagers: Point Lime Lager, Point Mango Lager, Point Tart Cherry Lager and Point Watermelon Mojito Lager. During the winter months, the Long Nights variety pack features Malted Milk Shake Lager, Pistachio Nut Brown Ale, Gingerbread Ale and Salted Caramel Toffee Ale. For Fall, The Harvest Craft Creations 12-pack features Point Cranberry Wheat Ale, Point Squash Ale, Point Pumpkin Peach Ale and Point Blood Orange Amber. Four unique year-round India pale ales – Point Spruce Tip IPA, Point Peach Mango IPA, Point White IPA and Point One Shot IPA are available only in the Point IPA variety 12-pack.